Master Degree in Land and Agricultural Science

 

Location: Ancona - via Brecce Bianche - ingresso 1
Access: Open access
Order: D.M. 270/04
Type: Master Degree (2 years)


 
 

The course of study in short


 

The Master’s Degree Course in 'Land and Agricultural Sciences' provides professionals in sustainable and inclusive management of agricultural systems. Its main topics are ‘Crop Production and Protection’, ‘Social Agriculture’ and 'Genomics, Biotechnology and Biodiversity'. These deal with the current drivers of change regarding agricultural institutions, environmental awareness, innovation processes aimed towards an inclusive society and intelligent and sustainable growth (these goals are consistent with the European Research Programme Agenda 2030).


The Master’s Degree Course runs over 2 years: the first year includes some common lectures and different training areas, which are then developed through the second year. The common lectures focus on the following topics: landscape agronomy, herbaceous and tree cropping systems, nursery production and biotechnology, agricultural economics and policy, plant breeding, management and conservation of biodiversity and landscape, and pesticide chemistry and biochemistry. Starting from this common knowledge, the students are then able to deepen specific subjects and enhance different specific training areas in the second year of the Master’s.
For the Crop Production and Protection curriculum, further topics concern qualitative and quantitative improvement of agricultural production, through innovative technologies, such as in viticulture, olive tree cultivation, plant protection, biological control and integrated pest management, will be studied in relation to environmental issues (climate, soil) and human health (food quality and safety). This sustainable and agroecological perspective is useful for training graduates able to manage plant production in an innovative way, guaranteeing the best compromise between qualitative and quantitative aspects, in order to guarantee the farmer's income while respecting the agroecosystem and consumer health.


For the Social Agriculture curriculum, the Master’s course provides interdisciplinary training activities that are aimed at acquiring competence in horticulture and animal production together with knowledge of wellbeing and development, psychosocial impairment and prospects for social inclusion. This multifunctional perspective is useful for training an innovative professional figure able to manage sustainable agricultural and livestock systems and to interact with interlocutors with different skills, in multifunctional companies that offer socio-working, socio-educational and socio-health services to vulnerable individuals.
For the Genomics, Biotechnology and Biodiversity curriculum further topics concern qualitative and quantitative improvement of agricultural production, through innovative technologies, such as bio-molecular techniques, agricultural genetic resources and evolution of domesticated species, genomics applied to plant breeding, bioinformatics tools and molecular diagnostics will be studied.


This biotechnology development and conservation of biodiversity perspective is useful for training an innovative professional figure able to use all the techniques of biotechnology, both conventional and advanced, in order to collaborate in the development of research and technological application projects in agricultural and environmental sectors.
The graduate of the Master’s Degree Course will be a professional figure prepared for the use of advanced technologies and methods of sustainable and inclusive management of agricultural systems, capable of creating innovative sustainable and efficient production solutions, taking into account the protection of biodiversity, of the landscape, of territorial cohesion and of the well-being of the community.


Link: https://www.d3a.univpm.it/lm_sat.222

 

Professional profile and employment opportunities

Graduates in “Land and Agricultural Sciences” specialized in ‘Crop Production and Protection’

Function in a work context:
- Director of public or private companies and institutions in the agricultural sector; independent professional consultant as private professional/consultant, with reference to different technical and economic aspects of the agricultural sector;
- Director of organismis aimed to quality control of agricultural products;
- Director or consultant of small, medium and large farms that apply the concepts of conventional, integrated, organic, or other innovative productions approaches (herbaceous plant and fruit tree cultivations);
- Director or consultant of small, medium and large plant nursery and seed companies aimed at the certified plant nursery production;
- Director or consultant of research and experimentation companies, public and private, small, medium and large, aimed at the development of innovations in biology, chemistry, genetic, biotechnology, mechanic, agronomy, arboriculture and plant protection;
- Director or consultant of organizations aimed at the management of natural heritage (Parks and nature reserves);
- Director of public sector service companies aimed at the management of the territory and natural resources (Region, Montane Unions);
- Consultant in national or international istitutions for aid programs for developing countries;
- Researcher in public institutions (Universities, CRA, CNR, ENEA etc.) and private companies;
- Consultant in credit and/or insurance institutions, dealing with banking and insurance activities for the agricultural sector.

 In particular:
- Inspector of the National Phytosanitary Service, which verifies the application of phytosanitary normative, carries out phytosanitary and surveillance checks, develops systematic surveys;
-Consultant for farms and public and private companies in the olive, fruit and viticultural-oenological fields;
- Consultant in companies dealing with plant protection products (Integrated and organic agriculture).

Skills associated with the function:

Graduates in “Land and Agricultural Sciences” specialized in ‘Crop Production and Protection’ will be able to perform professional roles thanks to skills in the following topics:

- Traditional, integrated, organic and innovative agricultural production processes;
- Crop and business planning;
- Plant breeding, plant biotechnology application (GM crops, traceability and certification);
- Agricultural production processes consistent with environmental measures and sustainable agricultural systems;
- Governance and management of protected areas, biodiversity and landscape protection and management;
- Phytosanitary control (inspector procedures) of plant nursery and seed production;
- Crop production and protection (in the field and postharvest).

Employment opportunities:

Graduates in “Land and Agricultural Sciences” specialized in ‘Crop Production and Protection’ Career opportunities:
The Master's Degree offers the possibility of accessing the following job opportunities as a consultant/freelancer or employee of:
- Small, medium and large private farms, interested in the development of innovation, cultivation, management, processing, marketing of certified quality food products;
- Public and Private companies operating in the sectors of agricultural machinery, construction, agrochemical industry, zootechnical systems, and bioenergy;
- Public entities (Ministries, Regional and Provincial Councils, Professional Category Association);
- Producer Associations, Professional and trade Organizations;
- Laboratories performing physical, chemical, biological and phytosanitary analysis services;
- National and international governmental and non-governmental organizations operating in the agricultural sector for aid programs to countries in transition and development (FAO; WORLD BANK, etc.).

In addition, graduates will be able to find employment in the sectors of phytosanitary certification of horticultural and tree species, in viticultural and olive farms management, in agricultural pharmaceutical companies, in the National and Regional Phytosanitary Services and in general in phytosanitary consultancy.
Graduates, in possession of the requisites envisaged by current legislation, may participate in the admission tests to training courses for teaching staff for lower and upper secondary schools.
The Master’s degree course allows graduated to be eligible to take the qualifying examination needed to practice the professions of agronomist and forestry doctor.

 

Graduates in “Land and Agricultural Sciences” specialized in ‘Social agriculture’

Function in a work context:
- Director of public or private companies and institutions in the agricultural sector; independent professional consultant, as private professional/consultant, with reference to different technical and economic aspects of the agricultural sector;
- Director of organizations aimed at controlling the qualitative aspects of agricultural products;
- Director or consultant of small, medium and large farms that apply the concepts of conventional, integrated, organic, or other innovative productions approaches (herbaceous plant and fruit tree cultivations);
- Director or consultant of small, medium and large plant nursery and seed companies aimed at the certified plant nursery production;
- Director or consultant of research and experimentation companies, public and private, small, medium and large, aimed at the development of innovations in biology, chemistry, genetic, biotechnology, mechanic, agronomy, arboriculture and plant protection;
- Director or consultant in organizations dealing with natural heritage (parks and natural reserves);
- Director of public services for territory and natural resources (Region, Mountain Community);
- Independent consultant services in national or international organizations for aid programs in developing countries;
- Researcher in public institutions (Universities, CRA, CNR, ENEA etc.) and private companies;
- Consultant in credit and/or insurance institutions, dealing with banking and insurance activities for the agricultural sector.

In particular:
- Director or consultant of small, medium and large social farms promoting disadvantaged people’s rehabilitation, education and care and/or towards the integration of people with ‘low contractual capacity’ (i.e. intellectual and physical disabilities, convicts, those with drug addiction, minors, migrants) but also practices that support services in rural areas for specific target groups such as children and the elderly;
- Consultant for different type of social farming adopting a multifunctional view of agriculture. Consultant for companies operating in the field of social agriculture, such as type A and B social cooperatives, contributing to the planning of complex activities.

Skills associated with the function:

Graduates will be able to perform professional roles thanks to skills in the following topics:
- Traditional, integrated, organic and innovative agricultural production processes;
- Crop and business planning;
- Plant breeding, plant biotechnology application (GM crops, traceability and certification);
- Agricultural production processes consistent with environmental measures and sustainable agricultural systems;
- Governance and management of protected areas, biodiversity and landscape protection and management;
- Social agriculture challenges and ability to interact with other professional figures;
- Designing and development of sector policies in the field of social agriculture for single or associated companies, public companies and non-profit organizations.

Employment opportunities:

The Master's Degree offers the possibility of accessing the following job opportunities as a consultant/freelancer or employee of:
- Small, medium and large private farms, interested in the development of innovation, cultivation, management, processing, marketing of certified quality food products;
- Public and Private companies operating in the sectors of agricultural machinery, construction, agrochemical industry, zootechnical systems, and bioenergy;
- Public entities (Ministries, Regional and Provincial Councils, Professional Category Association);
- Producer Associations, Professional and trade Organizations;
- Laboratories performing physical, chemical, biological and phytosanitary analysis services;
- National and international governmental and non-governmental organizations operating in the agricultural sector for aid programs to countries in transition and development (FAO; WORLD BANK, etc.).

In addition, graduates will be able to find employment in social farms, interacting with disadvantaged people and different professionals figures, as well as with other public or private institutions/organizations/companies operating in the social sector.
The Master degree course allows graduated to be eligible to take the qualifying examination needed to practice the professions of agronomist and forestry doctor.

 

Graduates in “Land and Agricultural Sciences” specialized in 'Genomics, biotechnology and biodiversity'

Function in a work context:
- Director of public or private companies and institutions in the agricultural sector; independent professional consultant, as private
professional/consultant, with reference to different technical and economic aspects of the agricultural sector;
- Director or consultant of small, medium and large plant nursery and seed companies aimed at the certified plant nursery production genetic improvement and the conservation of plants and seeds;
- Director or consultant of research and experimentation companies, public and private, small, medium and large, aimed at the development of innovations in biology, chemistry, genetic, biotechnology, mechanic, agronomy, arboriculture and plant protection;
- Director or consultant in organizations dealing with natural heritage (parks and natural reserves) and the conservation of genetic resources and biodiversity;
- Director of public services for territory and natural resources (Region, Mountain Community);
- Independent consultant services in national or international organizations for aid programs in developing countries;
- Researcher in public institutions (Universities, CRA, CNR, ENEA etc.) and private companies;
- Consultant in credit and/or insurance institutions, dealing with banking and insurance activities for the agricultural sector.

In particular:
-Consultant for farms and public and private associations on the management and conservation of genetic resources;
- Consultant for the biotechnology sector farms in the application of strategies for the genetic improvement of crops in integrated and organic agriculture.

Skills associated with the function:

Graduates will be able to perform professional roles thanks to skills in the following topics:
- Conservation and genetic improvement of agricultural species
- Application of biotechnological approaches for genetic improvement, for resistance to adversity and adaptability to new environments;
- Plant breeding, plant biotechnology application (GM crops, traceability and certification);
- Agricultural production processes consistent with environmental measures and sustainable agricultural systems;
- Governance and management of protected areas, biodiversity and landscape protection and management;
- Crop production and protection (in the field and postharvest).

Employment opportunities:

The Master's Degree offers the possibility of accessing the following job opportunities as a consultant/freelancer or employee of:
- Small, medium and large private farms, interested in the development of innovation, cultivation, management, processing, marketing of certified quality food products;
- Public and Private companies operating in the sectors of agricultural machinery, construction, agrochemical industry, zootechnical systems, and bioenergy;
- Public entities (Ministries, Regional and Provincial Councils, Professional Category Association)
- Producer Associations, Professional and trade Organizations,
- Laboratories performing physical, chemical, biological and phytosanitary analysis services;
- National and international governmental and non-governmental organizations operating in the agricultural sector for aid programs to countries in transition and development (FAO; WORLD BANK, etc.).

In addition, graduates will be able to find employment in the sectors of genetic improvement and conservation of agricultural species, in biotechnological companies and in consultancy in general.
Graduates, in possession of the requisites envisaged by current legislation, may participate in the admission tests to training courses for teaching staff for lower and upper secondary schools.
The Master’s Degree course allows graduated to be eligible to take the qualifying examination needed to practice the professions of agronomist and forestry doctor.

 
Didactic